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Feliks Szczęsny (1888-1926)
Feliks Szczęsny (1888-1926), a.k.a. Felix Szczesny, was a Polish immigrant to Jersey City, New Jersey, and a descendant of the Szczęsny family of Płońsk, Poland. Birth and Early Life in Poland Felix Szczesny was born May 12, 1888 in the vicinity of Płońsk, Poland, to parents Wojciech Szczęsny (1854-aft1892) and Anna Staszewska (c1855-aft1892). Płońsk is a city to the northwest of Warsaw. Just prior to his immigration to the United States, Felix resided in with (or near) his brothers in Wilamowice, a small town west of the city of Płońsk. Both of Felix' parents had already died by the time Felix came to the United States, according to Helen Plewan (daughter of Felix' wife Clara from her second marriage after Felix' death). Several of Felix' first cousins resided in nearby Kucice, Poland, so it is believed that Felix' family probably resided in or near Płońsk for at least one generation prior to the birth of Felix's father Wojciech. It is presently unknown whether Felix was born in Wilamowice, Kucice, or the city of Płońsk. Map The following map illustrates the towns of Wilamowice and Kucice in Poland. Use the zoom bar on the top left of the map to zoom out to see nearby Płońsk. Immigration to the United States Felix arrived in New York on March 29, 1906, aboard the Graf Waldersee (which departed Europe from Hamburg Germany).Felix Szczesny on Graf Waldersee Ship Manifest (Felix is on line 20) On his Ellis Island immigration record, he is listed as Felix Szesnewski. Upon arrival, he resided in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his brother Stanislaw Szczesny (c1880-aft1939) at 160 Steuben Street, where they lived until at least November 14, 1907. At that time, Steuben Street was part of Jersey City's Little Poland district, also known by its earlier Dutch name of Gammontown. Felix' brother Stanislaw had arrived in the United Stats on May 15, 1902. Stanislaw had come to stay with his nephew Adam Borkowski, whose exact relation to the Szczesny family is yet unknown. 1910 Census Felix has not yet been located in the 1910 census. Marriage to Klawija Dzyban On September 4, 1910, Felix married Klawija Dzyban (1891-1990), a.k.a. Clara Dzyban, at Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church on 6th Street, in Jersey City. Their marriage certificate states that they both resided at 336 Henderson Street in Jersey City by this time. This address was within Jersey City's Little Poland district as well. Residences after marriage By February 22, 1913, Felix and Clara resided on Pavonia Avenue in Jersey City. At some point, the couple moved back to 336 Henderson Street, and then back to Steuben Street by the 1920 census. Naturalization Felix became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1915. His naturalization record has not yet been located. Children by Klawija Dzyban Felix and Clara had the following children together: *Walter Szczesny (c1916-1974) *Anna Szczesny (c1918-1987) *Joseph John Szczesny (1920-1997) World War I Felix registered for the draft during World War I, but it is not believed that he served. He stated that he needed to support his family on the draft registration card, requesting he not be drafted, and there is no record of his service. At the time of his registration, Felix was employed by the American Tobacco Company, the makers of Lucky Strike cigarettes. 1920 Census Felix and Clara resided at 162 Steuben Street in the 1920 census, where they were indexed under the name Stesney. The household was enumerated as followsFelix Szczesny Household in the 1920 Census: *Felix Stesney, 34 *Clara Stesney, 31 *Walter Stesney, 9 *Anna Stesney, 1 11/12 Felix was unemployed at the time the census was taken. Death Felix died October 11, 1926, in Jersey City. He was stabbed while breaking up a fight involving one of his friends outside a bar near the family's residence at 160 Steuben Street. Felix' son Joseph remembered watching his father holding his abdomen on the stairs to the apartment after having been stabbed in the intestines and/or stomach. At the time of his death, Felix was employed as a electical repair assistant for the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad Company. An obituary has not yet been located. Burial Felix was buried in Holy Name Cemetery in Jersey City. References Category:Szczesny (surname) Szczesny, Felix Szczesny, Felix Szczesny, Felix Szczesny, Felix Category:Non-SMW people articles Category:Felix Szczesny